A
landmark building in downtown Springfield sits empty today, partially gutted by a stubborn fire
that burned for hours. It has been ruled an act of arson, and an 18-year old
man is in custody.
As
VPR’s Ross Sneyd reports, fire has transformed many other Vermont communities over the years.
For
a number of years in the 1990s, Wal-Mart stores symbolized Vermont’s debate about its future. Eventually,
the big retailer opened stores in Bennington, Rutland, Berlin and Williston, and attention shifted. But
the debate was never fully resolved and, now, with new proposals, it’s
simmering again.
VPR’s
Ross Sneyd has more.
